In sports headlines, an area nine–man, semi–professional football team is preparing for the start of their first–ever season.
The Saint Peter Panic are in the midst of training right now, and to help them get in top shape, the team has enlisted a female trainer to put the Panic through a battery of physical tests.
With every command, and every test, trainer Jo Ann Radlinger isn't about to let any these athletes hit the Panic button.
"We're kind of hitting that point where we know we're an X number of weeks out until the first game," Radlinger said. "The team's been with me for awhile now, so I'm just stepping the game up every time."
And members of the Panic have certainly taken notice.
"She's like a drill sergeant really, but she keeps up with us," said Caleb Huls, Panic team captain.
The season for the Panic starts next month, when the team will take on the North Iowa Bucks.
"Everyone's just excited. The energy is high, you know we're ready to go," Huls said.
But before that happens, Radlinger is putting the team through a strong physical regimen.
"She will not cut us any slack," said Huls.
"It's just a consistency of making the workouts harder and harder," said Radlinger. "I want them to be really ready when they get on the field as far as their endurance training."
But aside from the training, the Panic's comradery is growing stronger as well.
"The team's great, we got the best team chemistry I've dealt with so far in my career, I love it," said Huls.
"I think what's so exciting for me is I watched them play at the dome--their exhibition game in December--and the team has just come together and gelled so nicely," said Radlinger. "I want as few injuries as possible obviously as their trainer, and I want to know I trained them as best as I could so that they can do the best that they can out on the field."
According to their Facebook page, the Saint Peter Panic will take on the Bucks on April 27th.
